The Startled Male Lead

At this moment, Qin Yu realized that he could definitely leave. He wore a mocking expression, knowing he wouldn't let things slide so easily. "There's an old saying, I wonder if you've heard of it: 'Inviting the deity is easy, sending it away is hard,'" Qin Yu sneered, "You accused me and brought me in here. This is a frame-up, causing me great mental distress. If you don't sincerely apologize, I won't let this go."

"What do you want?" The older policeman appeared stern and angered on the surface. Yet, internally, he felt differently. Qin Yu, however, failed to notice this discrepancy. Seeing the policeman's anger only brought him more pleasure. Continuing with his cold mockery, Qin Yu said, "It depends on your sincerity. I don't need your money, but an apology is necessary. First, kneel and apologize to me, and then have your police department apologize to me publicly."

This was part of Qin Yu's plan. He wanted to make a name for himself, first by making public his destruction of the Black Dragon Gang. More importantly, he wanted to show Wang Bingbing and others just how powerful he was and also get his revenge, making this policeman kneel before him. Just the thought of it filled him with immense excitement.

"You bastard!" The old policeman could barely contain his fury. Yet, he held back. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "Are you sure you don't want to leave?"

"Of course, I won't leave unless my demands are met," Qin Yu said confidently. With his master's status ensuring his release, the police department wouldn't dare defy him. They'd have to let him out rightfully, making them plead for his departure. Otherwise, they'd be condemning a hero. He believed anyone with a brain would know what to do, even if this old cop didn't, the police chief might.

"If you don't want to leave, then stay. We have another investigator coming from higher up. You'll need to cooperate. It's good to see you're so cooperative," the older cop said, adding, "By the way, you should recognize this person."

After delivering this news with an angry face, without giving Qin Yu another glance, the old policeman left. He warned the younger officers, "Remember, don't patrol near that cell anymore. No matter what happens, don't get close." Knowing of Qin Yu's previous attack on the jailer, he said this to prevent further communication opportunities for Qin Yu. He also wanted to unsettle him, to throw him off balance.

Indeed, after the policeman left, Qin Yu's confident facade began to crack. Things weren't progressing as he'd imagined. He'd expected the police to beg him to leave immediately. Why did things turn out this way? They really left him alone and even purposely kept people away from him. Now, he didn't have a chance to snatch a phone. What would he do if something happened? Reflecting on the policeman's parting words, Qin Yu felt a growing sense of dread. Could someone have received a message to target him? In hindsight, he regretted his previous actions. Earlier, he hadn't considered these consequences, being too focused on showing off. Now, if someone used this situation against him, wouldn't that be big trouble? This was Qin Yu's concern.

But who could it be? "Who from higher up is so interested in me that they'd want me dead?" Qin Yu pondered. Whoever it was had significant influence. Otherwise, why would the police department treat him this way? Suddenly, the memory of that humiliating figure, Su Chen, flashed in his mind.

"I need to get out of here fast!"

Thinking of Su Chen, Qin Yu felt a shiver of apprehension. He was now eager to leave this place as soon as possible. "Hey! Someone let me out! I don't need your apologies anymore."

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Someone, come here! I'll kill myself!"

Yet, no matter how loudly Qin Yu shouted, no one paid him any attention. No one approached him, eliminating any chance he might have had to contact the outside world. "Do I need to escape from this prison?" Qin Yu was unwilling. He had already been granted the opportunity for bail and naturally didn't want to leave. But recalling his past experiences with Su Chen, he felt deeply uncertain.

Elsewhere, in Chen Yuxin's bedroom, she was making a serious phone call, reporting information to her grandfather, the current head of the Chen family. "Yes, the person backing Qin Yu is indeed that old man from the military!" Chen Yuxin replied to her grandfather's words, slightly frowning in thought. She continued, "Are we sure there's no evidence against him?"

"It's difficult. His influence is significant, and the prestige the Qin family currently holds is entirely due to this old man," her grandfather replied. "Confronting him may lead to issues within the military, which would be detrimental to the public. Unless concrete evidence is found, it's challenging."

The Chen family had always hoped to address the harm that major families in the capital posed to the nation. But contrary to their desires, the influence of these families grew, and the power of the Chen family began to wane. They no longer held the strength of a secondary family; they were now just a name. As a result, many things were out of their hands.

"Even if we can't confront that old man from the Qin family for now, I won't let Qin Yu off easily!" Chen Yuxin said coldly, her eyes shining with determination. She had just issued orders to the police department to temporarily keep Qin Yu detained, using Su Chen's reputation to intimidate him. She believed that Qin Yu's pride and confidence would lead to his mental turmoil. No matter how formidable a person is, once their mind is disturbed, their decisions will not be as flawless as before.

"You want to take action against Qin Yu?" her grandfather inquired. He suspected that his granddaughter had already taken steps against Qin Yu.

"No," Chen Yuxin smiled, "The relationship between Qin Yu and the Qin family isn't as simple as it appears. The incident that led to the deaths of Qin Yu's parents was connected to the Qin family."

Her grandfather was taken aback, "You're saying that the death of Qin Yu's parents was related to the Qin family?" This revelation shocked him, especially considering how well the Qin family seemed to treat Qin Yu over the years. All resources were directed towards Qin Yu. At first glance, this didn't seem like a relationship tainted by deep-seated hatred.

"Exactly!" Chen Yuxin said, "Since we can't directly challenge the mighty Qin family tree, let's have Qin Yu confront them."

"How did you find out about this?" The old man was curious. There were many things he hadn't discussed with his granddaughter for a long time.

"Su Chen told me," Chen Yuxin explained with a smile, "Su Chen is not as simple as he appears on the surface; he's not just some wastrel."

Her grandfather was stunned as he reflected on recent events. Su Chen's performance had indeed been commendable, even gaining the support of several other influential families. Upon deeper contemplation, he realized how calculating Su Chen truly was. Those who hide their abilities are the most formidable.

Chen Yuxin's plan was simple; she wanted to instill fear in Qin Yu. Once he's terrified, he would make unpredictable decisions, and everything would then move in the direction that favored her plans.

The next day.

Inside the grand Su family compound, Su Long paced in the courtyard, his expression anxious. Beside him stood one of his subordinates, unremarkable in appearance but possessing a distinct presence, clearly one of Su Long's trusted aides. The aide remained silent, evidently waiting for Su Long's instructions.

"What are your thoughts on this matter?" Su Long inquired, catching the subordinate slightly off guard, as he hadn't expected to be consulted. The aide quickly replied, "Qin Yu dared to openly confront the Black Dragon Gang; he must have some preparations in mind." Even though Qin Yu had repeatedly been humiliated by Su Chen, his capabilities were evident, so no one believed he would act recklessly. After a pause, the aide added, "Perhaps Qin Yu intends to use this situation to court Wang Bingbing."

"This could lead to complications in the future. Therefore, we need to decide our next steps, considering your perspective," the subordinate added. Su Long waved off his concerns, unshaken by Qin Yu's schemes. He took a seat and declared, "There's no need to worry about Qin Yu. He isn't as smart as he thinks. If he were, he wouldn't still be at the police department. I'm more concerned that this is a plot against Su Chen. Since Qin Yu hasn't left the police department, it suggests that he's been trapped. And when things go awry, won't he suspect Su Chen first?"

"When the sandpiper and the clam quarrel, the fisherman profits!" Su Long mused, furrowing his brows. Of course, this was just speculation, and the exact circumstances remained unknown.

The subordinate nodded in agreement, "You're absolutely right, Master."

"But," he hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Since the Young Master has issues with Qin Yu, why don't we use this opportunity to eliminate him and avenge the Young Master?"

"No!" Su Long shook his head, a fierce glint in his eyes, "Of course, Qin Yu, who doesn't know what's good for him, needs to be dealt with. But there are secrets about him even I haven't uncovered. If Su Chen recklessly confronts him, there might be danger. So, if someone in the shadows can plot against Qin Yu, we can use the same tactic against them. We must show the world that the Su family, the premier family, is not to be trifled with."

Su Long was far more informed than the old Chen patriarch. Years ago, he had become privy to the Qin family's secrets. He had thought of using the Qin family's methods against Qin Yu and promptly gave his orders. Upon hearing the plan, the subordinate nodded heavily. Yet, he still couldn't predict how Su Long would deal with their looming adversaries. However, he realized one thing: the Su family was now caught between two fires. He knew all too well about those around Su Chen, like Chen Yuxin, Yang Yuxin, Yang Danxuan, and Zhang Li. None of them were to be underestimated. With their intentions clearly not benign, having just Lin Qingyan was already enough of a headache for the Su family, but the current situation placed them in even graver danger.

However, while he was lost in his thoughts, elsewhere at the same time, Chen Qing was inspecting a maid in her room, sizing her up. Then, she spoke, "Find a romantic travel destination and book some plane tickets immediately."

"Couples' trip?" The maid was somewhat perplexed, not grasping Chen Qing's meaning.

"My son and daughter-in-law are going on a trip. Of course, it needs to be a perfect place," she explained.

But the maid, with a worried look, inquired, "But Miss Chen, isn't she also going? And allowing the Young Master to go out alone with those two women with ill intentions could lead to unforeseen complications. After all, the engagement with the Lin family hasn't been annulled."

Chen Qing coldly replied, "What if the Lin family disagrees? Now it's mutual affection. Su Chen might not necessarily want Lin Qingyan as his wife. And, I'll say it again; I don't like Lin Qingyan."

Chen Qing's thinking was simple. Once Su Chen and Yang Yuxin return from their trip, facts will be established, and Lin Qingyan will stop clinging to Su Chen. Su Chen would certainly prioritize Yang Yuxin's feelings and abandon Lin Qingyan. However, Chen Qing's eagerness for Su Chen to leave had another underlying reason.

It's all to inform everyone that since Su Chen is no longer in Beijing, the ongoing incidents in the city are not his doing. Some may wish to benefit from this situation, but she would not allow it.

"Miss, I understand," the maid replied, preparing to execute her orders. Just as she was about to turn and leave, Chen Qing stopped her abruptly. "Wait, there's one more thing."

"Miss, please tell me," the maid hurriedly responded. Raised and nurtured by Chen Qing, she held deep gratitude in her heart. Whatever task Chen Qing assigned, she would complete it with utmost dedication. That's one of the reasons why Chen Qing trusted her. Chen Qing nodded, "You should accompany that brat on the trip."

"Eh?" The maid was taken aback, not quite grasping Chen Qing's intent.

Chen Qing continued, "I still don't trust Su Chen completely. Assist him, and preferably, facilitate a relationship between him and Yang Yuxin. Furthermore, considering those who are with him, like Chen Yuxin, see if you can also bring Wang Bingbing along." 

Chen Qing stated with clear annoyance, "Since they're all scheming against my son, I won't let them have their way. Once relationships form, I'd love to see how their backing forces will react. Whether it's the Chen or Wang families, they either heed my son or lose face."

The maid expressed her concern. If they antagonized these parties, there's a considerable risk of these powerful families uniting against the Su family. But it was Chen Qing's directive, and she had to follow. Furthermore, she believed the mistress had a plan, so she refrained from questioning. As a final word, Chen Qing emphasized, "Remember, do not let Lin Qingyan go. Inform me immediately if she has such intentions."

Chen Qing's resentment towards Lin Qingyan ran deep. She couldn't stand the smitten look Su Chen had whenever he saw Lin Qingyan. Chen Qing felt indignant; after all, she had raised her son for so many years. Why should Lin Qingyan sway him? Yet, she remembered something Su Long once said: the more the mother dislikes someone, the more likely she'll become the daughter-in-law. She worriedly wondered if it might eventually be Lin Qingyan after all.

Elsewhere, Su Chen, upon waking up, received a significant piece of news: Qin Yu had committed a crime by annihilating the Black Dragon Gang. Now, the entire Black Dragon Gang was hunting him. The Black Dragon, being a powerful force, wouldn't easily be wiped out by Qin Yu. But this news didn't seem to matter to Su Chen. What mattered was that Qin Yu had escaped prison. This revelation left Su Chen stunned. 

Not only that, but the police were now on a manhunt for Qin Yu. Qin Yu was now a wanted man with a considerable bounty on his head. Su Chen found the situation somewhat amusing yet frustrating. He didn't need to guess: Chen Yuxin was surely behind this. Otherwise, Qin Yu wouldn't have taken the path of escape. But even with Qin Yu becoming a wanted man, it didn't seem to cause much impact. There was no reaction from the system. 

Still, Su Chen felt the need for revenge. And the object of his revenge? Su Chen glanced towards Chen Yuxin's room, then guiltily at Su Xian'er's room.

"She's gone out. That's good," he thought, sneaking into Chen Yuxin's room with confidence.